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My favorite posts of Lian's are the projects that have him excited to be learning or doing something new. I actually had two favorites and I can't decide which I like more.
I loved watching his face when he saw the colors and they were so vibrant. I love fizzy projects. They always turn out so well even when they don't work, of course, this one worked out very well.
This was exciting because we not only were able to get it to work right the first time, but we also able to make it work a second time (Solar Powered S'mores ). I have the perfect box in storage and I can't wait to expand on this experiment over the coming summer.
For Food Fun Friday, we brought out the solar oven again (Solar Powered Stars). This time we made s'mores with white and dark chocolate. It was a really hot day so they didn't have cook very long. The s'mores tasted so good but they were really sticky.
I was really thinking that the temperature in the box would get very high since last time it was 121°. It didn't get very hot at all. I think maybe because last time the crayons cooked for 20 or 30 minutes and this time it was just a few minutes.
I was thinking of doing the solar oven for my science fair project next year if my teacher will give me permission to sign up for it. I need to have fewer variables. How hot it is outside might matter as much as how long when measuring the temperatures in the box.
I can't wait to use my oven again. I still want to make nachos and a quesadilla and also, maybe hot dogs.
For Thursday Things this week, Mom and I made a solar oven in our back yard. I didn't have the stuff to make s'mores like the experiment where I got the idea so I up-cycled crayons. We used the power of the sun to make star shaped crayons, Solar Powered Stars. Get it?
I have re-made crayons in the oven and it takes just about the same amount of time, but you can't watch them cook and it isn't as much fun. I made the ones in the picture for Mother's Day. I think they make great art. I will make a post about the crayons next week.
To make the oven you need:
A box that opens like a pizza box or a shipping box
Foil
Black construction paper
2 Sheet protectors or plastic wrap
A bamboo skewer
tape and/or glue
something to cut with
First have a grown up cut a flap on three sides, in the top of box so that here is a window. Then glue a piece of foil to the bottom of the box and another on the flap. Next tape the construction paper to center of the bottom of the box. Then cut the sheet protector so that it is open and flat. Tape that to the inside of the window under the flap. We only needed one but if you need more plastic use more than one sheet and tape them together with clear tape. Finally tape the bamboo skewer so that it holds open the flap.
This was so much fun. I love how it works. The sunlight reflects off the flap into the plastic window. The light wave changes when it goes through the plastic, so it can't just leave again. It bounces around the inside of the box and the dark paper collects the heat and cooks the stuff. It took about 15-20 minutes to make our crayons, but I thought they were too melted. That is the same as the regular oven. Our thermometer on the table in full sunlight got to 105° and in the box at the end it showed at 120°. That is so great. Mom thinks that the thermometer might have been in direct sunlight inside the box so the temp isn't true and we need to test it again to be sure. We are going to make s'mores next time. I want to try nachos too, but I can't think of what else would be okay to cook and eat in my oven.
I am so happy this worked right the first time. A lot of our stuff takes a few tries to work. I think it is because the directions at the site where I got the idea were so good. You can see that experiment here http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/solar-oven . It is my favorite science site.
